The 2nd Annual MONTIES

Since the Oscars are only 9 days away and it's the last major awards given out for 2010, I thought it was time to list my nominees and winners. So without further delay here they are with the winners highlighted in bold print.

BEST FILM:

TRUE GRIT
THE TOWN
SECRETARIAT
INCEPTION
TOY STORY 3
THE FIGHTER

BEST ACTOR:

LEONARDO DICAPRIO - INCEPTION
JEFF BRIDGES - TRUE GRIT

KIERAN CULKIN - SCOTT PILGRIM
JOHN HAWKES - WINTER'S BONE
JASON ISSACS - THE GREEN ZONE


BEST ACTRESS:

HAILEE  STEINFELD - TRUE GRIT
NATALIE PORTMAN - BLACK SWAN
DIANE LANE - SECRETARIAT
GWYNETH PALTROW - COUNTRY STRONG
JENNIFER LAWRENCE - WINTER'S BONE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR :

CHRISTIAN BALE - THE FIGHTER
JEREMY RENNER - THE TOWN
TOM HARDY - INCEPTION
MATT DAMON - TRUE GRIT
JOHN MALKOVICH - SECRETARIAT


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

CHLOE MORETZ - KICK-ASS
HELEN MIRREN - RED
MILA KUNIS - BLACK SWAN
AMY ADAMS - THE FIGHTER
MARION COTILLARD - INCEPTION

BEST DIRECTOR:

JOEL & ETHAN COEN - TRUE GRIT
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN - INCEPTION
DARREN ARONOFSKY - BLACK SWAN
DAVID O. RUSSELL - THE FIGHTER
BEN AFFLECK - THE TOWN

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:

INCEPTION
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
IRON MAN 2
TRON:LEGACY

BEST MUSIC SCORE:

TRUE GRIT
INCEPTION
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
THE TOWN

So as you can see, it was True Grit all the way, winning 4 of the 8 categories. I just thought from the first time I saw it that it was the best film of the year. I thought the direction by the Coen brothers was top notch and and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld giving Aterrific performance. And a rousing music score all add up to 4 wins. Leonardo DiCaprio won Best Actor for his amazing turn in Inception. Two easy choices came in the best supporting categories with Christian Bale giving a stellar performance in The Fighter and Chloe Moretz stealing every scene in the best comic book movie of the year to me, Kick-Ass. And I gave the final award of visual effects to Inception which blew everyone else away. So those are my favorites of 2010 and I can't wait to see who wins at this year Oscars. I hope they show some love to True Grit.

TRUE GRIT is the best film of 2010 (well, to me it is)

The updated western True Grit is the best film of 2010 as it does the original John Wayne version proud.

Fans of the original story remember that the young Mattie Ross (in this one played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) seeks vengeance on Tom Chaney (played by Josh Brolin), the man who murdered her father. Since the law doesn't seem to be in a hurry finding Chaney, she hires one-eyed and drunk U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (played by Jeff Bridges) to do the job. A Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) is also looking for Chaney for a different crime and joins the duo.

 The Coen Brothers direct this film and tone down their usual shtick and makes an effective modern western. There is lots of humor and several exciting action sequences. The three leads are wonderful. Steinfeld is easily the best performer in the cast as she holds her own with veterans Bridges and Damon. Her Mattie Ross pretty much is the main character unlike the first film version which focused more on Cogburn. Speaking of Cogburn, Bridges is very good as the stubborn marshal and has several emotional scenes with Steinfeld. But he also gets tough when he needs to be when dealing with the Ned Peppers Gang, who have Chaney as part of their group. Damon actually provides a good deal of the laughs as he is in constant conflict with Cogburn. The cinematography and music score are also top notch. I enjoyed True Grit immensely and think it's even better than the original, save for the awkward ending. So I will honestly say that True Grit was my favorite film of 2010 and I can't wait to see it again.
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